Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1451382
G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2 • G R A P H I C S P R O 7 1 goods that are not custom and are already decorated with popular sayings or pic- tures (nothing copyrighted, please) could potentially do well on eBay, if they're will- ing to put the effort into attracting the attention of the percentage of buyers vis- iting the site who would want those sorts of goods. Do keep in mind, however, that most visitors to the site may not have come looking for those sorts of things. CONSIDER COSTS Next, let's look at what it costs to sell on each platform. For Etsy, sellers pay a list- ing fee of $0.20 for each item listed for sale on its platform. Once an item sells, there is a 6.5% transaction fee, which consid- ers the price for the item, plus the cost of shipping and gift wrapping. If you elect to advertise your shop using Etsy Ads, you set your own budget, but there is a prede- termined minimum budget level required by Etsy. To subsidize the cost of their off- site ads, which bring traffic to the site, Etsy will also take a cut of any sales made from an offsite ad that includes your list- ing. Fees can be either 15% or 12% of the sale, depending on various criteria stipu- lated by Etsy. Some sellers may also opt into Etsy Plus, which is a subscription-based service offer- ing an expanded set of sales tools. e fee for an Etsy Plus Subscription is $10 per month. ere are also payment process- ing fees, shipping fees, and so on. Make sure you research and read all the infor- mation about fees thoroughly and take the fee structure into account when pricing products. In the world of eBay, the fee structure looks a bit different. ose who sell on eBay are charged an insertion fee when a listing is created, and a final value fee when the item sells. e amount charged depends on the price of the item you're selling, the format and category chosen for the listing, the optional listing upgrades you choose to use, and the conduct and performance of the seller. Insertion fees vary based on how you sell, what you're selling, and are charged per category. So, if you list an item in two categories, you will pay two insertion fees. e final value fee is a percentage of the total amount of the sale you made, plus $0.30 per order. If you're selling on eBay, make sure to check the final value fee structure in the categories to which you wish to add prod- ucts, as those percentages will vary. ere are also advertising fees, a dispute fee and other fees that may impact your listings. As with Etsy, be sure to read all the fee information and figure out which fees may impact your final profit. In the end, the general rule of thumb is that selling somewhere is better than sell- ing nowhere. While Etsy may seem like a no-brainer to people who make person- alized or creative products, eBay can be fertile sales territory for some categories of goods. What you choose may depend on whether you want a more personal- ized store experience (Etsy), if you're look- ing to sell your goods auction style (eBay), what your perception of each platform is, and how much the e-commerce storefront experience matters to you. e main thing to keep in mind before setting up shop on either platform is the necessity of doing your research, particularly when it comes to fees, and the fact that both sites have heavy competition, and it will require dili- gence and thought to stand out from the crowd and make sales. GP Kristine Shreve is the founder and CEO of Kristine Shreve Consulting, offering writing, marketing, and business development services. Visit www.kristineshreve.com for more info. Kristine is also the creator and host of the Business + Women podcast and is also the director of marketing and outreach for Applique Getaway. Kristine was the director of marketing for Ensign Emblem and EnMart from 2006-2020. 8 Product Photography Tips to Help Grow Your Online Sales: https://gpro.link/phototips